Alea Iacta Est
by wannabeWriter888
Summary: When Oliver decides to at last honor Laurel Lance's dying wish, the woman he finds to carry on her legacy isn't an undercover detective from the CCPD on a revenge mission. It's a siren who calls to him in a way he hasn't felt since Laurel's death. An AU of the end of 5 x 10 and all of 5 x 11.
1. Part One

_Disclaimer: I don't own Arrow or its comics or the Flash and its comics. I'm simply playing with the characters and storylines for my own amusement and as a coping mechanism for the way the show chose to go._

**A/N:** This is the third short story in what I call my Deviations series. The first was _Daughter of the Demon _(a season 3 "rewrite") and the second _Canary Cry_ (a rewrite of the season 4 episode with the same name). These stories are not connected except for the premise of how one change could've altered the show we have today (perhaps for the better) and I'm considering following this story and the second out further like I did with _Daughter of the Demon_. In this case, it's both a casting and storyline change that I plan to enact.

Subnote: I am posting the first part to this story at the same time as my season 4 deviation episode. I'm only going to update one story a week, to buy myself time as I work on _Wed to the Mask, _so which ever story gets the most reviews/requests for more will be the one I update next week.

The first two chapters of this story actually rewrite the last few scenes of 5 x 10, the rest focus on the major changes that would've happened in 5 x 11.

Constructive responses help me grow as a writer. Positive reviews make me smile and help with my bouts of self-doubt : ) Thank you for reading!

* * *

Part One

Felicity punched Black Siren in the jaw. The villainess stumbled back a foot, but she didn't fall. She scowled at the indignity of the blow, then backhanded the hacker in the face. Black Siren was a powerful metahuman. In minutes, she could rebound after being hit with a car. A single punch, no matter how properly thrown, wasn't enough to take her down.

Felicity, on the other hand, crumbled. Black Siren had put her full strength into the strike and dazed the hacker. If she'd punched Felicity, the human would've been knocked out cold. As it was, the Green Arrow whipped up his bow while his ex-fiancé fell at Black Siren's feet. A taser-style arrow clipped the metahuman in the shoulder and hit her with enough volts to take down a mirakuru soldier. She managed one menacing step in his direction before her body failed her and she collapsed.

"Felicity," Mr. Terrific moved to help his downed teammate. Felicity stirred with a moan.

Green Arrow remained focused on the objective and secured Black Siren. He had to turn her on her side before slapping the power-dampening cuffs onto her wrists – the Flash had delivered the cuffs, after the first time Green Arrow and his team encountered a metahuman in Star City. They'd had trouble finding the pair when Black Siren first revealed her true colors but had just in time for this showdown.

Green Arrow removed the arrow the moment he had her cuffed. He'd known it would take a lot to knock her down, but he didn't want to kill her accidently. Then he gently brushed her hair back from her face. His expression was unreadable to his teammates as he regarded the woman who was a dead ringer for his lost friend. A woman he'd deeply loved.

"What are we going to do with her?" Wild Dog asked.

"Put her back in the Pipeline?" Mr. Terrific suggested.

"We should send her back to Earth-Two where she belongs," Felicity snipped, holding her sore cheek.

"We can't. They can't control her on her Earth, and the remaining members of Zoom's army would follow her," Green Arrow replied. He'd received a brief explanation from the Flash when he was informed of her presence on their Earth. "We won't be sending her back to the Pipeline either – I've seen those cages; they aren't meant for long-term imprisonment."

"Then what are we going to do?" Ragman repeated the question.

"ARGUS has meta-cells; they can hold her. It will be easier to talk to her there," Green Arrow decided.

"Talk to her?" Felicity expressed her incredulity.

"There's good in her. I saw it, before you had the others attack her at the pier," Green Arrow replied.

"She was playing you," Felicity denied.

"Maybe. I didn't get the chance to find out, because you decided to undermine my call." Felicity flushed at the reprimand in his tone.

He could've said more, but they wouldn't have understood. They hadn't known Laurel as he had. They hadn't seen the true joy on Black Siren's face when she first saw him – a reunion she'd never expected. Now that he knew she'd lost her Oliver, he could understand how she'd felt in that moment. Even knowing he wasn't the love she'd lost, she'd found a part of him that lived on. Oliver felt the same.

He scooped Black Siren into his arms and carried her out of the warehouse.


	2. Part Two

_Disclaimer: see part one._

**A/N:** The last of the 5x10 episode. Truth be told, this is how I really wanted the show to go after I read a fan-theory with a similar ending. Reviews will dictate whether this story or Canary Cry will get updated next week, FYI. Thanks for reading!

* * *

Part Two

Oliver Queen sat in the Bunker, staring at their memorial to Black Canary. Her uniform and mask haunted him from their glass case. He couldn't stop thinking about the last words she confessed to him – not just her request that he find someone to carry on her legacy. _I know I'm not the love of your life, but you will always be the love of mine _– he hadn't disagreed with her then, not certain of his own feelings. Then he'd lost her and lost part of himself in the process. He realized then, what he'd forgotten. He had always loved her; even during those five years he was away and that entire first year back when he held her at a distance to protect her. He hadn't stopped loving her in the years since, but he'd let his growing feelings for Felicity distract him. Let himself believe that what he shared with Felicity could replace what he'd lost.

Fighting the Dominators, being trapped in that dreamworld, he'd been forced to confront his deepest truth. He still loved Laurel Lance. He wanted her for his wife, to be her husband, for the rest of his life. He may not have deserved her, but he'd had her. Then he lost her. First, to Tommy, and then to death. Yet, she remained the love of his life.

He'd failed her. He never should've let her out in the field. A few lessons with Nyssa and some boxing on top of her self-defense training wasn't a firm enough foundation for what they faced. He'd known it, but he'd convinced himself that if he was there, she'd be okay. He'd been a fool. He should've continued her training himself, he should've been there for her more often . . . he should've done a lot of things differently.

Black Siren had only rubbed this hurt in his face. She wasn't Laurel. Not his Laurel. She wasn't as dark as she pretended to be, but she'd never replace Laurel and he didn't want her to. He would try to help her, because that's what Laurel would do. What she'd want him to do.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Curtis stopped a few feet behind the brooding archer.

"Before she died, Laurel asked me to find someone to pick up her mantle. I think it's time I fulfill that promise to her," Oliver answered, reorganizing his thoughts. He wasn't going to talk his feelings with this new guy – he didn't talk about his feelings for Laurel, ever. She was a touchy subject with everyone who knew her.

CANARY

In an unimportant town, a woman sat at a bar and sipped her drink. She had jet black hair cropped almost to her shoulders and a contemplative expression. The news played on a television behind the bar. News from Star City was the highlight of the evening – a monument to a fallen hero had recently been destroyed and the culprit had yet to be found.

Laurel Lance's picture filled the screen for several minutes. There was a noticeable resemblance between the dead woman on the screen and the one sitting at the bar – black hair excluded. The woman at the bar barely paid the picture any attention, dabbing at her bright red lipstick after finishing her drink.

A man with a five o'clock shadow sidled up to the woman at the bar. He gave her a once-over, eyes lingering on the tight blouse she wore under her black jacket. She pointedly ignored him, glancing at the television. Deputy Mayor Quentin Lance was giving a sound-bite for a reporter about the destruction of his daughter's statue. The woman at the bar twitched at the sight of him.

"Someone you know?" the man saw an opening and took it.

"Maybe, in another life," the woman answered mysteriously. She signaled the bartender, seeking her bill.

Minutes later, the woman with Laurel Lance's face stepped outside. She tugged her jacket closer to her body. She winced in pain, clutching at her head. The moment past and she straightened with a sigh. She looked to the sky as if it would hold the answers she sought, but none came. Then she vanished into the night.


	3. Part Three

_Disclaimer: see part one._

**A/N:** Sooo, I was unexpectedly without WiFi last weekend and decided to just wait and update both stories this weekend - sorry for anyone who wanted an update sooner.

To GuestReader: The title is Latin for "the die is cast" or something to that effect and indicates a point of no return. I liked it because of my long term plans for the woman I introduced . . .

To TheWhiteW0lf: Oliver will work on rehabilitating Black Siren and the team will find out, but I haven't full mapped out that portion as it will be in the likely sequel to this story. As for Laurel surviving, well, it's more complicated than that - my long term plan is to go a very different route than the show.

To OllielovesDinah: Thank you! I'm so glad you're enjoying what little I've posted so far.

* * *

Part Three

Oliver regretted mentioning his plans to Curtis. The younger vigilante told the rest of the team and then Oliver had no peace in the weeks that followed.

Everyone had their own ideas as to who should be the next Black Canary.

Felicity made quiet noises about herself being a candidate until Oliver gently shut her down. In the five years he'd known her, she'd shown no dedication to learning to fight, not even in self-defense. She trained in sporadic spurts, but that wasn't enough for regular fieldwork. Moreover, her recent tendency to undermine his decisions with the recruits hadn't gone unnoted. After Evelyn's betrayal, Oliver didn't want to take Felicity to task and cause more stress on the team, but he would keep her out of the field until she came to her senses. She had her place and it was as Overwatch.

Rene and Rory had some of the more absurd suggestions. From a former military friend of Rene's to a pro-wrestler Rory knew, their first attempts focused solely on the physical requirements and failed to account for the heart needed to become a vigilante. Then Rene mentioned asking one of the Vixen sisters to take the Black Canary's place and Rory recommended Nyssa. At this point, Oliver suspected they were competing against each other, but simply denied both ideas. If he wanted the aid of an ally he knew and trusted, he would've already asked Sara to take her sister's place. Despite the home Sara had found on the Waverider, Oliver knew she'd honor Laurel in a heartbeat if he asked.

That wasn't what Laurel had wanted though, not when she made her request.

Black Canary had been more than an alter ego for Laurel. She'd poured her heart into becoming a vigilante. It had started out as a way to honor Sara but had become a calling for Laurel. Black Canary represented her achievements against opposing forces – her recovery from addiction, her resilience in the face of discouragement from those she considered friends, and her perseverance fighting for justice in the spirit of the law.

The person who assumed her mantle needed to understand the woman Laurel had been and the hope that the Black Canary had stood for. Contrary to popular opinion, Oliver wasn't looking for perfection – Laurel certainly hadn't been. He wanted someone who would strive for the same ideals he and Laurel had shared as vigilantes – to be courageous and have compassion in the face of adversity, to be selfless and loyal when no one else would, and to persist at these standards even after falling short.

Curtis was the first to suggest recruiting a metahuman to their team. Oliver had been open to the idea, recognizing they could use a little more power as the world continued to get crazier around them. He checked with Team Flash, to see if they had any suggestions, but most of the metahumans they encountered were of a criminal nature. Then Curtis found his urban legend.

"She started appearing eight months ago. A woman with a scream that can send men flying, shatter glass, or bust holes in brick walls. She beats the living daylights out of muggers, rapists, and drug dealers, then vanishes. They've been calling her the Siren," Curtis highlighted online articles and forums discussing his legend.

"Dude, you don't even have a picture. How do you even know she's real?" Rene challenged.

Curtis played them a video. The quality was crappy, and the footage had been shot nearly a block away, but there was no denying her existence. The wall of a bar exploded outward and three men flew out. A lithe woman climbed through the wreckage and fought the men with a flurry of fists and kicks until all three stayed down. Then she darted away into the shadows.

"How certain are you that this is all one woman?" Rory asked. He was skimming the reported sightings of the Siren.

"The descriptions aren't always the same, but the details overlap. Sometimes, she has blonde hair, other times black. No one's gotten a good look at her face, but several witnesses noticed she likes to wear red lipstick. And, get this, more than once she's worn fishnets. The scream though, is what ties all these cases together."

"Do you have any idea how to find her?" Oliver looked to Curtis. He saw potential in this woman, but he wouldn't know for certain until he'd met and talked with her himself.

"She jumps around a lot, but Bludhaven is the place she frequents most, and there was a sighting of her there a couple days ago."

That was how Oliver, Rene, and Curtis ended up in Bludhaven the next evening, hunting for an urban legend. Whether he was ready or not, it was time he honored Laurel's dying wish.

* * *

**A/N2:** Sorry to any Felicity fans, I like the character well-enough, especially in S1 and 2, but the shipper in me has had issues with her and some of her personality traits since she became Oliver's endgame on the show. I occasionally vent in my writing and take it out on her, I'm not proud of it, but it happens and I wrote this after the Blackstar parentage reveal.


	4. Part Four

_Disclaimer: see part one._

Short chapter, sorry, but it breaks better here. Later chapters are longer.

* * *

Part Four

Rather than conducting a blind search for their mystery woman, Curtis had mapped all the legend's sightings in Bludhaven to find a pattern. He noticed a district she favored more than others. Come nightfall, the men headed to that area first. They spread out, looking for any sign of the woman they sought. If they happened upon any trouble, they'd take care of it, but she was their primary objective.

They found trouble first. A couple of men trying to rob and assault a woman on her way home from the gym. Before any of the vigilantes could act, their legend was on top of the problem. She caught the first man from behind with her scream. A metal pipe to the back of the head followed, which dropped him. His cohort received a smack to the hand and then two blows to the face before he keeled over, unconscious. A brief word for the victim, then she ascended the nearest fire escape and dashed away on the rooftops.

She was a blonde-haired vision in black. Wicked fast, but no fishnets. Not this time.

Green Arrow signaled his teammates and they scaled to the rooftops and followed this siren. They didn't have to go far. Their target caught onto their pursuit and waited for them at the edge of an apartment complex. A scowl on her vibrant red lips. Her blonde hair was cut pixie short but mussed. She wore a flattering dark green blouse and black jacket.

They approached with caution. She didn't know why they were after her and they didn't want their first impression to be a fight. Green Arrow moved his bow to his less dominate hand to show his docile intent. Wild Dog and Mr. Terrific followed his lead.

At first, all they could make out was her scowl and hair. It wasn't until they were only yards away that her features truly registered. It was a kick in the gut for Green Arrow.

"Laurel?" Green Arrow stuttered to a stop. Wild Dog and Mr. Terrific were less than a foot behind him.

"If that's your line, bud, it needs some work. And I'm not interested," the ringer replied with a defiant jut of her chin.

"Hold up there, birdie. How'd you escape ARGUS?" Wild Dog aimed his firearm at the woman with Laurel's face. They'd just done this dance and he wasn't in the mood to go another round with the meta from Earth-Two.

"I don't know what you're talking about, but you'd better put that weapon down," the siren huffed, taking an aggressive step forward. She didn't hold herself with the same arrogance that Black Siren had had, but she lacked Laurel's obstinate confidence as well.

"Or what, you'll sing us a song, Black Siren?" Wild Dog taunted. He unclicked the safety on his gun.

"Siren, huh? So that's why you're here. Sonus screwed you over, I'm guessing. And you're hoping to get back at him through me? Well, too bad boyos. Sonus and I don't have that kind of relationship," the lookalike relaxed a touch. She turned to jump to another rooftop, believing the conversation over.

"Wait. Laurel, I know it's you," Green Arrow took two steps forward.

The moment his eyes had laid sight on Black Siren, he'd convinced himself it was her, but deep down he'd known it wasn't his Laurel. He didn't have that feeling this time. This time his every instinct was screaming at him that this was the woman he'd lost, the woman of his dreams.

"My name isn't Laurel, and I meant what I said – back off or you will get hurt," she snapped at him. There was cold determination in her stance and tone, and no recognition in her eyes.

He didn't know how to respond to that indifference and Laurel's mirror image didn't care. She leapt to another rooftop and this time the men didn't follow her.


	5. Part Five

_Disclaimer: see part one._

* * *

Part Five

Oliver didn't know what to make of the woman he'd encountered on the rooftop. His heart tried to tell him that it was Laurel. Physically, he agreed she looked like his lost friend, even with the shorter hair. His head said his heart was trying to delude him and reminded him that he'd seen Laurel die. (He couldn't forget that night, not in his nightmares or the waking hours. He'd felt his life end with hers. Ersin Fortuna had been right when she said his darkness was too strong. _She'd_ been his light for too long and now she was gone.)

A call to ARGUS confirmed Black Siren was in her cell.

"Maybe she's another doppelganger from a different Earth," Curtis speculated.

"Because it makes complete sense that less than a month after our Laurel Lance died, two versions of her from two separate Earths ended up here," Rene scoffed.

"At least it's a possibility, and more than you've got. Besides, my theory explains why she didn't recognize Oliver," Curtis countered. He was right. If she was from another world and didn't know their counterparts, then she wouldn't know them and possibly didn't know much about the Laurel of this Earth.

"Guessing isn't going to get us answers. She mentioned the name Sonus. Let's look into that," Oliver ended the argument. He didn't know who she was or why she looked like Laurel, but he was going to find out.

From the context she'd given them and a little digging, they were able to find Sean Sonus. He was a criminal kingpin on the List, but he'd mostly operated out of Central City for the last eight years. Oliver made a call to Captain Singh of Central City, requesting some insight into Sonus and why he might be in Bludhaven. He called as the Green Arrow and had to text Barry to vouch for him before Singh was willing to play ball.

"Sonus used to be a lieutenant of Tobias Church. Word on the street is he's trying to fill Church's shoes and if he secures Bludhaven, then he'll be a step closer to his goal. He's taken over most of Church's old hideouts."

"Do you know if he has an associate, a blonde woman who occasionally wears a black wig? She's a meta."

"She screams, right? We don't have anything solid on her. Only name we have is Tina Bolland but it's an alias. She's a ghost. I have a note in her file that says she's been known to haunt a bar in your area called the Galley."

"Thank you, Captain."

"If you're going after Sonus, you should know there are unconfirmed reports that he's a meta," Singh offered some parting advice.

The men split up that night to cover more ground. Oliver staked out the bar in case "Tina" decided to show; he was the only one of the three that knew how to tail a person without being caught. Rene and Curtis started looking for Church's old hideouts in the city and hopefully a lead on Sean Sonus. If they couldn't find the Siren, then perhaps he could.

Luck was on Oliver's side. Laurel's mirror image visited the bar in skintight jeans, a halter top, and her black wig. He refused to think of her as Tina. She may not have been Laurel, but the alias didn't fit her at all. Siren was an accurate description, especially when she left the bar a short time later with a street thug. Oliver followed them back to a dumpy apartment and called his teammates to the location. They waited an hour before stalking down the hall to the Siren's place. They were surprised at what they found in the apartment – after they picked the lock and let themselves in. The street thug was tied to a chair in the living room, bloody and bruised. He'd been having a less than pleasant evening with the siren. He was unhelpfully unconscious when they entered. Their target was nowhere in sight.

"Where is she?" Wild Dog wondered as they spread out to search the small flat.

She answered him with a scream. The wall to the kitchen exploded into the living room and knocked down Mr. Terrific. Green Arrow and Wild Dog both took cover.

"Can't you three take a hint? Guess we'll have to do this the hard way," the Siren growled and jumped on Wild Dog since he was closer to her position.

She pummeled Wild Dog with her fists. Fast and furious. Green Arrow couldn't get a clean shot at her. He moved closer to engage her in hand-to-hand, but she saw him coming. She tripped up Wild Dog and sent him careening into the archer. Then she screamed and they were left clutching their heads and ears, for all the protection that gave them.

When the vigilantes recovered, the Siren was gone. The apartment was a mess, and her prisoner was coming to.


	6. Part Six

_Disclaimer: see part one._

* * *

Part Six

Oliver had some questions for the man the Siren left in her apartment. Then the vigilantes dropped him off at a hospital. It turned out the street thug worked for Sonus and he was higher on the food chain than a basic thug. Armed with the intel he'd given them, the vigilantes found Laurel's lookalike easily enough.

"We want to talk," Green Arrow called to the siren before they were in range of her scream. Curtis had jury-rigged some earbuds to protect them from her cry, but the Arrow wasn't keen to test them out.

"I thought I'd made it clear I'm not interested," she snapped. Gone were the black wig and skinny jeans. Now her blonde head was glaring in his direction and she wore the fishnets he'd heard about. They went up about mid-calf on her, then ended on a pair of fitted black shorts.

If Oliver hadn't been in his Green Arrow mentality, he would've been distracted by the view. As it was, he kept his eyes on her face as he stalked closer. "We want to help you."

"Help me? Why would you do that? You don't know me."

"You were torturing that man for information on Sonus. He told us as much. You wouldn't do that if you wanted to be working for Sonus, which means he has something on you. Let us help you."

"At what price?" she let the vigilantes come within easy talking distance. Still, she scowled at them.

"A conversation, after we've taken care of Sonus. About who you are and where you come from," Green Arrow replied. She laughed bitterly.

"What's so funny?" Wild Dog wanted to know.

"You were right," she directed her answer to Green Arrow; "I was trying to get dirt on Sonus. What he has on me, is what you want to know. What I want to know."

"I don't understand," Mr. Terrific muttered.

"Eight months ago, I woke up in a rundown factory with barely any cash in my pocket, an ID with a name that I didn't recognize, and an address that led me to Sonus. I had no idea who I was or how I got there. I couldn't even remember what I looked like, much less my name. I still don't know who I really am or why I look like Laurel Lance."

"How does Sonus figure in?" Green Arrow asked as he digested the truth she'd revealed. And it was the truth. He could clearly see the frustration and confusion in how she held herself. There was also the desperation in her eyes.

"He's a meta. His power lets him mess with people's memories. He can take them or return them. He knew about my memory loss before I found him. He was probably the one who took them," she clenched her fists angrily, but then forced herself to relax as she finished explaining; "He made me a deal. I work for him and he pays me with memories of my past. But I'm tired of being his lap dog. I want to know who I was before, if there are people out there who are missing me – who I should be missing. Sonus is the only way. If I can take some of his supply, enough to really hurt him, I can leverage it for the rest of my memories."

"You could do that, or you could let us help you. Between the four of us, we could surprise him and make him give you your memories," Green Arrow offered.

"Forcing Sonus won't be easy. Others have tried and he broke them first. He doesn't respond well to threats. He's easier to negotiate with if you have something he wants."

"He hasn't met me yet. And I think he'll prefer to give up your memories instead of sitting in an ARGUS cell the rest of his life," Green Arrow answered confidently. He knew the strings he'd have to pull to get things done, but he'd do it for her.

She considered his offer carefully. Eventually she reached the conclusion that his tactics might work better than hers had been – that thug hadn't been the first she'd interrogated to no avail. "Alright, what's your plan, green bean?"


	7. Part Seven

_Disclaimer: see part one._

* * *

Part Seven

Siren knew where Sonus was holed up. The four of them scoped out the base and Oliver devised a plan of attack. Then they split up and waited until the wee hours of the morning when everyone in the factory would be lethargic after a long night. Oliver waited with the Siren, certain that out of all of them, he had the best chance of restraining her if she decided to ditch the plan.

"If you weren't after Sonus when you first arrived, why did you come after me?" she asked while they waited.

"We were looking to recruit to you our team," he admitted.

"Doesn't your city have enough vigilantes? Unless you wanted to add a meta to your number," the way she watched him, as if he were a puzzle she wanted to figure out, reminded him painfully of Laurel.

"Your ability was one factor," Oliver agreed but decided he should be upfront with her; "I promised Laurel that I would find someone to carry on the Black Canary mantle for her."

"You want me to be her," she accused but without any heat. She faced the factory, muttering more to herself. "I'm not her."

"I know. You don't have to be her."

"But isn't that why you're helping me? Part of you must be hoping that I am her."

"Yes, part of me is hoping you're Laurel. That somehow Laurel didn't die, or more likely, was revived. But there are other explanations out there. Most are more plausible than you being the friend I lost. And yes, I would like to know the truth, but I want you to have your answers most of all. If you aren't my Laurel, that's okay. The important thing is that you'll know who you are, and you'll be free of Sonus."

"It matters to you, that I be free of Sonus. Why?"

"Because I've been someone else's pawn before. I know what it's like to have no choice in your actions because someone else holds the power," his entire five years away had been one version that after another. Yes, he'd had some choices but too often he couldn't find a way out without hurting other, good people in the process. "No one should have to live that way."

"Thank you," Siren brushed her fingers against his hand, finding a bare patch of skin. He couldn't help the jolt of electricity that passed through him at that contact, a physical reaction he'd only known with Laurel before. Siren appeared to be affected as well and she quickly snatched her hand back and focused on the warehouse below.

CANARY

The attack on Sonus and his men failed. The vigilantes attacked from two sides and made quick work of the perimeter guards. It was almost too easy and that should've been their first inkling. They scoured the rest of the warehouse and eventually met near the center without encountering any kind of resistance. At which point Green Arrow began to suspect something was wrong, but they had only one room left to search. It seemed likely that Sonus wasn't present, so they proceeded.

They walked into a trap. The Siren was hit with a sonic dampener the moment they walked through the doors. Then a dozen automatic guns were aimed at the four of them from overlapping vantages at a safe distance and behind cover. The doors behind them were locked from the outside. There was no escape and no way to protect themselves if the bullets started flying. When Sonus called for them to surrender or die, they chose to live.

"You know what I like about you vigilantes?" Sonus crowed as his men tied up the vigilantes; "It's your personal morals, those petty lines you won't cross because you want to be seen as "the good guy" and it makes you weak. Like helping a man to the hospital before calling the police on him." The trussed-up vigilantes spotted the man the Siren had been torturing; he was standing among Sonus's men with a smirk.

"Now I must admit, I'm curious. Do you mind?" Sonus stood in front of the Green Arrow and gestured to his hood. He didn't wait for a reply before pushing back the cover. Then he laughed. "Oliver Queen. Well, this certainly explains a lot."

Sonus offered the Siren a glittering smile. She merely raised an eyebrow, unaffected at this revelation. She still didn't recognize Oliver.

"You're here for her memories I presume. You want to know how she can look like Laurel Lance," Sonus guessed but didn't wait for a reply, knowing it wasn't coming; "How about I make you a deal instead. I will happily return all our pretty Siren's memories in exchange for no interference from you and your team in Star City. What do you say, Mr. Arrow, a good deal isn't it?"

Oliver gritted his teeth. He wanted answers for the Siren, but he couldn't hand his city over to a kingpin. He offered Siren an apologetic look, but she refused to meet his eye. "No."

"Well, that's too bad. Unmask the other two, let's get a good look at these vigilantes before we leave boys. Make things interesting for when we come for Star City. Oh, and Siren darling, I'm afraid our deal is off."

One second Sonus was prancing in front of them, all his men milling around. The next, the vigilantes were alone in the warehouse, still tied up with bruises they didn't remember receiving, and sunlight was streaming through the broken windows.

* * *

**A/N:** Only one chapter left before this episode rewrite is complete. Then you'll have to wait for the sequel to find out what happens next : )

And if it wasn't clear, Sonus used his powers on the team to escape. How he got his powers in this AU is different from the show, so they're very different and so is the storyline I have planned for him. Reviews make my day! And thank you for reading.


	8. Part Eight

_Disclaimer: see part one._

* * *

Part Eight

Oliver sat at his desk in City Hall. He was getting caught up on paperwork from his short vacation, or at least he was trying to. His mind kept wandering to the Siren. She'd left the men once they broke free of their restraints and they hadn't been able to find her since. Oliver wanted to apologize to her, to explain why he couldn't take the deal even though part of him truly wanted to. He wanted a chance to understand why he was so drawn to her, even if she wasn't the Laurel he'd lost. But it didn't look like he'd ever get the opportunity.

His melancholy thoughts were interrupted by his secretary, who informed him he had a visitor. Oliver was more than moderately surprised when the Siren walked into his office in her black wig and tinted glasses. He stood but didn't move around his desk.

"Laur– I'm sorry, do you prefer Tina? What are your doing here?" Oliver was grateful the door to his office had shut before his surprise became evident.

"I needed some time to think on my own; figure out where I go from here. I may not have gotten my memories back from Sonus, but I am free of him. And I realized, even though I don't know who I am, I know I want to help people," she explained as she walked closer to him, still studying him. "What I'm trying to say is, if that offer to join your team is still good, I'd like to take it."

"Of course, yes. It's yours," Oliver stammered.

He finally moved around his desk to stand in front of the siren. She smiled at him and the power of that grin, directed solely at him, nearly brought him to his knees. He offered her a handshake and a welcome to the team.

"I want to apologize. I wanted to take Sonus's offer, for you, but I couldn't betray my city," he said, trying to distract himself from the hold her hand had on his entire being.

"I understood and I wouldn't ask you to," she replied and then gently extracted her hand from his. Looking up at him from under her eyelashes as she did so – she wasn't immune to the attraction between them either.

"Sonus is still out there. If he's the best chance of getting your memories back, I'll help you catch him and force his hand," Oliver promised. She hit him with another megawatt smile.

"Thank you. . . I don't know why, but you're the first person I've really connected with since I woke up. Maybe it's because you understood why I wanted to be free of Sonus, but you make me feel less alone, and I'd like to get to know you better … as a friend."

"I'd like that too."

"There's just one thing, going forward. Please don't call me Laurel or Tina."

"Okay, what would you like me to call you?"

"Dinah, Dinah Drake. It's the name I found on my ID when I woke up and it's kind of grown on me," she grinned awkwardly.

"I can do that, Dinah," he smiled encouragingly at her. He didn't ask if she knew that was Laurel's first name. It didn't matter.

Whether she was his Laurel or not, they weren't going to find out any time soon. So, he would get to know the woman that existed before him now. She wasn't Laurel in many ways, but she had similarities to the love he'd lost. His head and his heart agreed she was worth the risk. He'd been given a second chance with Dinah and he wasn't going to screw this up.

* * *

**A/N**: And that's a wrap for 5 x 11, but I know where this story goes for the rest of season 5 and into 6. IF enough people ask for more, I'll get to writing the sequel as soon as I finish _Wed to the Mask_. To all who've read and reviewed, a big thank you! And thank you to everyone who favorited and followed this story - you all make me smile.


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